Role of Co-creation for Large-Scale Sustainable Adoption of Digitally Supported Integrated Care: Prehabilitation as Use Case

Abstract

Introduction: The efficacy-effectiveness gap constitutes a well-known limitation for adoption of digitally enabled integrated care services. The current report describes the co-creation process undertaken (2016–2021) to deploy a prehabilitation service at Hospital Clínic de Barcelona with the final aim of achieving sustainable adoption and facilitate site transferability. Methods: An implementation research approach with a population-based orientation, combining experience-based co-design and quality improvement methodologies, was applied. We undertook several design-thinking sessions (Oct-Nov 2017, June 2021 and December 2021) to generate and follow-up a work plan fostering service scalability. The implementation process was assessed using the Comprehensive Framework for Implementation Research, leading to the identification of key performance indicators. Discussion: Personalization and modularity of the intervention according to patients’ surgical risk were identified as core traits to enhance patients’ adherence and value generation. A digitally enabled service workflow, with an adaptive and collaborative case management approach, should combine face-to-face and remotely supervised sessions with intelligent systems for patients’ and professionals’ decision support. The business model envisages operational costs financed by savings generated by the service. Conclusions: Evidence-based co-creation, combining appropriate methodologies and a structured evaluation framework, was key to address challenges associated with sustainable prehabilitation service adoption, scalability and transferability.